RCB sweating over Josh Hazlewood as Kris Srikkanth warns of huge damage ahead of IPL 2026

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is in a race against time to attain match fitness for the upcoming IPL 2026, and things are not looking great for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The experienced pacer is dealing with hamstring and Achilles tendon issues.

Josh Hazlewood is likely to miss at least Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first two matches of the upcoming season. The Australian star has also been away from the action for nearly five months. This is a big concern for RCB because Hazlewood is one of their key players.

Josh Hazlewood likely to miss opening games for RCB

The defending champions are set to kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, and everybody is just talking about Hazlewood and their bowling attack, and the latest one is Kris Srikkanth.

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The former India captain feels Hazlewood’s absence in the start of the season is a major setback for the defending champions. Srikkanth has stressed that the Australian pacer is not the kind of bowler who can be replaced easily, as he brings control, pressure, and accuracy.

The former Indian chief selector has warned the RCB that if Hazlewood remains out for two weeks, they could end up missing him for three or four matches, and that can make a real difference in their chance to defend the title.

Josh Hazlewood's absence is a big blow: Kris Srikkanth

In Josh’s absence, Jacob Duffy is likely to come into the playing XI as cover, but Srikkanth is not sure whether he can make the same impact in Indian conditions. RCB bought the Kiwi pacer for Rs 2 crore at the auction, but his T20 World Cup 2026 campaign was a nightmare, taking only three wickets in five matches and leaked runs heavily.

Kris Srikkanth said in a video posted on his YouTube channel, “Josh Hazlewood's absence is a big blow. Even if he's not fit for two weeks, three to four matches would have finished for them there. Without him, their energy levels will drop. Their entire bowling ball will weaken. None of his replacements can come to his level. Jacob Duffy is not a bad bowler. But he was smashed in India in the World Cup. It remains to be seen if he can be great in Indian conditions.”

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He continued, “But without Josh Hazlewood, 25% of RCB's threat will be gone. He is not only a game-changer but also a match-winner. The fear factor he creates is similar to Bumrah's. Hazlewood bowls that brilliant test match length, where a batter can't go forward or back.”

Srikkanth slams Bhuvneshwar Kumar's India snub

This situation will break the key partnership of Josh Hazlewood-Bhuvneshwar Kumar. They had played a huge role in RCB’s maiden title triumph in the last season. They picked up 39 wickets together and gave the team strong starts with the ball.

Now, that balance gets disturbed, and Bhuvneshwar will have to handle even more responsibility, and the rest of the attack may also feel the pressure. Srikkanth signed off by saying, “He was different last year because RCB gave him importance after SRH let him go.

Bhuvneshwar was a brilliant buy by RCB, as he's still one of the best. He has been one of the best T20 bowlers, even for India. People have forgotten and thrown him away. He didn't deserve to be after one bad match in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal. It was, anyway, a bad match for everyone, not just him.”